City school budget would raise taxes

The group of about 25 spectators gathered inside the Reading School District's board room Monday, made up mostly of district employees, waited patiently.

They waited as the board discussed an administrative job chart. Waited through detailed questions about a bond. Waited through a two-hour executive session where the board discussed personnel.

They waited. And waited. And waited some more.

"They're trying to get us to leave," a member of the crowd remarked.

After more than four hours of waiting, the Reading School Board finally decided to get around to discussing what the crowd had come out to hear: the budget.

With plans to vote on a final 2013-14 budget Friday, the board got around to discussing it just after 10:30 on Monday night. They attempted to work out the final details, discussing the administration's latest plan.

But it quickly turned sour.

Within minutes of the discussion beginning, board member Karen H. McCree exploded, complaining about the pace and repetitive nature of the discussion.

"I can't do this all night, Jim," she yelled at James Washington II, finance committee chairman, as he pleaded with her to calm down. "I'm going to walk out again tonight, and that's it."

Eventually, they did get down to details.

The proposed budget will total just more than $212.7 million, and require a 2.8 percent tax increase. While some board members argued against an increase, the proposal would hike the tax rate to 17.39 mills from 16.92 mills.

Some of the biggest items to change from the district administration's proposed final budget passed last month were:

The district will no longer eliminate golf, bowling and freshman golf.

Assistant principals will no longer be changed from 12-month to 11-month employees.

Vacant central administration positions will not be eliminated.

Twelve-month clerical workers will not be shifted to 10-month employees.

Three professional development days will be moved to the 2014-15 school year, saving $900,000.

Five vacant clerk positions will be eliminated, saving $283,000.

A total of $100,000 in revenue from selling advertising at district sports sites was added.

Some issues remained unclear Monday, such as the fate of full-day kindergarten. Some board members argued for a shift to a half-day program, while others supported keeping the full-day program.

Board members continued to have complaints about many of the administration's proposals, which leaves the budget team only a few days to make some last-minute adjustments before Friday's vote.